Oxford and Cambridge not ranked in top three universities for first time

It makes the first time in the 32 years the guide has been running that neither of the two universities have ranked in the top three.

Last year, Oxford had dropped down to third and Cambridge was in fourth.

Instead, this year, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) was ranked first for the second time in a row, the University of St Andrews was placed in second, and Durham University in third.

The University of the Year 2026 award was given to Durham after it climbed through the ranks from its spot in fifth last year.

Helen Davies, Editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: "In a very competitive top 10, Durham has climbed two places in a year, which is a significant achievement.

"In doing so it has outdone both Oxford and Cambridge, helping to push both of them out of the top three in our league table for the first time in the Good University Guide's history.

"Its stellar academic performance was boosted this year by improvements in teaching quality and student experience."

The rankings consider student satisfaction with teaching quality and experience, entry standards, research quality, graduate prospects and sustainability.

Professor Karen O'Brien, Vice-Chancellor of Durham University, said: "Durham is an outstanding place to study. We ensure that every student can grow and thrive there.

"Our loyal, engaged alumni are testament to the impressive career prospects that await our graduates."

Both Oxford and Cambridge have been rocked by scandals in the past year.

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In December last year, Oxford was accused of "undermining its integrity" by accepting "disadvantaged" students in order to meet diversity quotas.

The criticism centred around the Opportunity Oxford scheme which reserves one in ten undergraduate student places for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Then, in January, both universities were accused of "dumbing down" their courses in order to boost the grades of minority groups.

According to the Daily Mail, the institutions were encouraged to close the gap between the numbers of Firsts and 2:1s awarded to white, middle-class students compared to other groups.

The plans included replacing in-person, unseen exams with open-book tests and take-home papers.

Former Conservative Chairman Richard Holden called the decision "patronising" and said "dumbing down university education serves no one".

Sir John Hayes, a former Conservative Education Minister, said the change, which was "deeply insulting to students from minority backgrounds", would "undermine the integrity of the assessment process".

More recently, Oxford University was at the centre of a scandal surrounding the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The President-elect of the Oxford Union, Charlie Abaraonye, appeared to send a celebratory message to a WhatsApp group after it emerged that Mr Kirk had been shot during a rally at Utah Valley University.